Forager’s Fabled Allium Galette

Apr 23

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If you are brave enough to search in the magical wood, you may come across a treasure trove of beautiful alliums growing wildly in the spring soil. After spending the morning hunting for wild garlic, leeks, ramps, and onions, a forage’s favorite dish to cook up is a warm and savory tart! This delicious comforting open-faced pie is the perfect way to enjoy a foraged feast. Smothered in gooey Gruyere cheese and enclosed in luscious layers of buttery, flaky puff pastry this galette is something you could only imagine to be found in a Forager’s Fable! You will love this savory onion tart as a spring appetizer, light lunch, or side dish to your next meal.

what is a galette?

A galette is an open faced pie, or an unstructured pie, meaning that it is not baked in a pan. Rather, it is baked freeform on a baking sheet. This gives the galette a rustic and organic look, which is quite nice I think. It’s a fun way to bake a pie when you are feeling rushed or not the most artistic in the kitchen. I have made plenty of galettes over the years when I have been pressed for time. It’s such an easy throw together dessert or savory side!

Galettes are not anything new! They have been around since the 13th century, though they were usually made with lard or suet rather than butter in the crust. The term galette means “flat cake” and was made either sweet or savory. Some savory filling might include cheese, meat, or vegetables like tomatoes or onions. There are various forms of galette that do not resemble a pie crust at all. The history is rich with this one!

gathering ingredients to make an allium galette:

To make this delightful savory onion tart, you will need to gather a few ingredients. You can certainly try your hand at foraging for wild spring alliums, but all of these ingredients should be easy to find at your local market as well.

Butter. To make the delicious flaky pie crust and onion filling, you will need some butter! Butter helps to flavor this dish with its sweet and nutty profile. I always use salted butter in my recipes, but you can certainly use unsalted butter if you prefer it instead.
Flour. To make the pie crust, you will need all-purpose flour. If you would like to use whole wheat or another whole grain flour, I would suggest starting out by only substituting half of the amount of flour needed for this recipe.
Leeks. Lovely leeks! Leek make up a significant portion of this tart’s filling. Make sure to wash them well.
Shallots. If shallots are not easy for you to find, you can replace them with a medium yellow onion.
Scallions. For a fresh spring taste and bright green color, I used scallions or spring onions in this very springy tart!
Chives. To add more color and depth of flavor, you can chop up some fresh chives and sprinkle them over your tart just before serving.
Thyme. To add some depth to this dish, you will want to some fresh thyme leaves to season the filling.
Gruyere Cheese. Deliciously gooey, gruyere is the perfect cheese for this tart’s filling. If you would like to swap it out for another cheese, like mild or sharp white cheddar, emmentaler, or gouda.

tips for making flaky pie crust:

Making a golden flaky pie crust is a baker’s true delight! With these tips, you can learn how to make a pie crust that will leave your dinner guests oogling over your feast.

Use Cold Ingredients. The flakiness in pie crust comes from the large portion of cold butter that is worked into the flour. You are essentially laminating the dough, or creating layers of butter in the pastry, which causes it it rise without any leaveners like baking soda or baking powder. Make sure that your butter and water stay nice and cold while making the dough to prevent the butter from melting.
Don’t Overwork the Dough. As your dough comes together, you will eventually need to use your hands to press it all together. Try your best not to overknead the dough, or else you might risk warming the butter too much. Overworking the dough can also make the final crust more tough and chewy rather than flaky.
Chill the Dough. After just bringing the dough together, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and pop it into your refrigerator. Let it rest for at least 1 hour and up to 2 to 3 days. If you are pressed for time, you can place it in your freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes before beginning the next steps.
Don’t Over-flour the Work Surface. When it is time to roll out your pie crust, use minimal flour. Only coat the rolling pin with flour, too, rather than sprinkling it over the top of the dough. The more flour that you use, the more flour is soaked into the final dough, which alters the texture of the dough overall. If your dough is really stick, chill it longer!

how to assemble the galette:

After your have made your flaky pie crust and cheesy onion filling, it’s time to assemble the galette. This is one of the easiest pies you will ever make in your life! It’s so wonderful because it makes an excellent little appetizer or side dish that comes together in a jiffy.

Step One: Begin by rolling out your pie crust on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough to a 12-inch (30-cm) circle. You may choose to trim down the edges so that they are smooth and straight. I thought that this recipe felt like something out of a high fantasy tavern, so I left the edges looking rustic.

Step Two: After letting the filling cool, transfer it to the center of the pie crust, leaving a generous 2-inch (5-cm) border. You may have to pile up the filling a bit high, which is fine!

Step Three: Once the filling is arranged how you like it, begin folding the edges of the galette over the filling. Leave only the very center exposed. The edges of the crust will overlap in a pinwheel shape.

Step Four: Brush the shaped tart all over with egg wash, sprinkle on some cheese, and flaky sea salt. Then bake as instructed!

serving the galette:

To serve this galette, you will want to wait at least 20 minutes before slicing into it. Otherwise you may end up with a hot gooey mess! Even though it is hard, wait for the cheese to set up a bit first. Slice the galette into 8 to 9 slices, like a pizza or a pie. You can sprinkle the pieces with a little dash of freshly chopped chives and even some fresh thyme, if you have it.

Here are some recipes that this tart would pair lovely with as an appetizer or side to a main dish!

final thoughts:

This savory onion galette with its golden flaky pie crust is sure to leave you feeling so warm and cozy! It is the perfect gardener’s recipe using up all of the lovely spring alliums growing in the garden. I was so thrilled to go out and cut some fresh chives from my perennial herb garden this week. The chives blossoms are beginning to grow and will be bursting open any day now. That means it’s almost time to make some chive blossom oil! This savory galette recipe is perfect for a spring appetizer or side dish to accompany your next dinner. I think it makes a lovely light lunch to accompany or soup or salad, too!

xoxo Kayla

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Yield: 9

Author: Kayla Lobermeier

Forager's Fabled Allium Galette

If you are brave enough to search in the magical wood, you may come across a treasure trove of beautiful alliums growing wildly in the spring soil. After spending the morning hunting for wild garlic, leeks, ramps, and onions, a forage’s favorite dish to cook up is a warm, savory tart! This delicious comforting open-faced pie is the perfect way to enjoy a foraged feast. Smothered in gooey Gruyere cheese and enclosed in luscious layers of buttery, flaky puff pastry this tart is something you could only imagine to be found in a Forager’s Fable!

Prep time: 1 HourCook time: 30 MinInactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 2 H & 30 M

Ingredients

Pie Crust:

1 1/4 cup (156 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (116 g) salted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) cubes
3 to 4 tbsp (45 to 60 ml) ice cold water

Allium Filling:

3 tbsp (44 g) salted butter
2 large leeks, cleaned and chopped roughly
2 shallots, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
2 to 3 scallions, chopped
1 tbsp (2 g) fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup (240 ml) half & half or light cream
1 cup (115 g) Gruyere cheese, shredded
3/4 cup (75 g) grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg + 1 tbsp (15 ml) water, for egg wash
1 tbsp flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
2 tbsp (4 g) fresh chives, chopped

Instructions

To make the Pie Crust:

Begin by making the Pie Crust. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt until well combined, about 1 minute. Then, with a pastry blender or fork, cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about the size of a pea.
Slowly add the water, about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time, mixing it into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon. Ideally, 4 tablespoons (60 ml) works well. For an even crisper crust, I would try to use 3 to 3 1/2 (45 ml) water, though the dough may be a bit crumbly. Bring the dough together with your hands, handling it as little as possible to prevent the butter from becoming too warm. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.

To make the Allium Filling:

While the dough is chilling, begin making the Allium Filling. Preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C). Line a large baking sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper and set this aside for now.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the leeks, shallots, and garlic. Cook until the leeks and shallots are translucent and soft, about 7 to 9 minutes. Then, stir in the scallions and toss in the hot oil, another 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are bright green and wilted. Season everything with the thyme, salt, and pepper.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream, Gruyere cheese, and 1/2 cup (50 g) of the parmesan cheese. Cook over low heat for another 2 minutes or until the cheese has fully melted. Turn off the heat and cover the skillet with a lid until you are ready to use it.

To assemble the Galette:

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough to a 12-inch (30-cm) circle. If you want clean edges, you can make it a little bit bigger and trim around the outside of the dough. For a more rustic look, you can leave the edges alone.
Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. Then, spread the Allium Filling over the pie crust, leaving a 2-inch (5-cm) border around the edges. Fold the edge of the dough over the filling, all the way around the circle, leaving the center exposed.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to make the egg wash. Brush the egg wash all over the exposed crust of the tart. Sprinkle the edge of the galette with the remaining 1/4 cup (25 g) of parmesan cheese and flaky sea salt, to your taste.
Bake the galette for 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is thickened and bubbly, like a pizza. Remove the galette from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing to avoid the filling from sliding off of the crust.
Sprinkle the freshly chopped chives over the finished galette. Cut the galette into pie-shaped slices and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

338

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.